Bookkeeping Prices for Small Business: What to Expect in 2026
Bookkeeping typically costs around $300 per month. Your monthly bill also depends on your business's complexity.
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Small businesses should expect to pay around $300 or more each month for bookkeeping. But prices range dramatically. We based our estimate on:
- Pay data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Subscription costs for online bookkeeping services.
- Price quotes from freelancers on the hiring website Upwork.
- An AI-assisted analysis of more than 2,200 comments on Reddit.*
How much you’ll pay a bookkeeper depends on several factors. Read on for more details about each and when it’s time to hire a professional.
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What pricing models do bookkeepers use?
You can pay a bookkeeper a fixed rate or by the hour. We typically recommend flat monthly subscription pricing or project-based pricing. That way, you know exactly what you’re paying ahead of time and can budget for it. The exception is if you're hiring a bookkeeper for just a one-off task. In this case, you might use hourly pricing.
Hourly pricing
The median pay for bookkeepers in 2024 was $23.66 per hour or $49,210 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, your bookkeeping costs will probably vary from what the typical bookkeeper receives in salary. Freelance bookkeepers on sites like Upwork often post higher hourly rates.
Upwork lists the average rate for bookkeeping services as $43 per hour. But you’ll find bookkeepers there who charge anywhere from that amount to $80 or more.
Monthly subscription pricing
Flat fees are common among online bookkeeping services. For that fixed price, you’ll get a set list of tasks. Most packages range anywhere from around $200 per month to $700 and up.
These services cover everything from bookkeeping basics to other back-office tasks. Think payroll and accounts receivable. Popular choices include QuickBooks Live, Pilot Bookkeeping and Bookkeeper360.
Individual bookkeepers may also use this pricing model. Based on our AI-assisted analysis of r/Bookkeeping and similar subreddits, average monthly bookkeeping costs are:
- For basic services: $250 to $350.
- For mid-range services: $500 to $700.
- For premium services: $1,000+.
Project-based pricing
Project-based pricing is similar to monthly subscription pricing. Costs vary by project. “Cleanups,” for example, often follow this model. Bookkeepers offer this service to bring outdated or disorganized books up to speed.
QuickBooks Live, for instance, doesn’t advertise a set cleaning fee. Instead, it says it depends on the business’s sign-up month, tax-filing status and when it opened. Bookkeeper360, on the other hand, charges $1,000 and up for its “onboarding and prior bookkeeping” add-on.
What types of bookkeepers can you hire?
The type of bookkeeping service you choose will impact how much you pay, too. In-house bookkeepers are usually the most expensive option. Hiring a virtual bookkeeper or online bookkeeping service can be less costly.
In-house bookkeeper
An in-house bookkeeper is your employee. On the upside, this lets them become familiar with your business’s ins and outs. And if they work on site, you can consult them in person when you have questions.
The downside of hiring an in-house bookkeeper is the expense. This is especially true if you live in a city or region with a particularly high cost of living. For instance, bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks in D.C. earn $65,640 per year on average, according to BLS data. In Oregon, they earn $52,920 .
On top of a competitive salary, you may also offer benefits. And if this is their full-time job, you might provide a computer and other office equipment.
Virtual bookkeeper
Virtual bookkeepers work remotely and are typically contractors. Since they’re not on site, you won’t work as closely with them. But if they get the job done, that trade-off might be worth the savings.
You can find virtual bookkeepers on freelance marketplaces, like Upwork. They're on professional networking sites, like LinkedIn, too. Word of mouth is also a great way to connect with solid bookkeepers. Try asking other business owners in your industry whom they work with.
Online bookkeeping service
Online bookkeeping services often match their clients with a team of bookkeepers. That means you might not have a single point of contact if you run into issues. Before deciding on a particular service, make sure to read online reviews of their customer support and quality of work.
Additionally, confirm the service uses the same small-business accounting software as you. If they don’t, you’ll need to switch products to collaborate. This can cost additional time and money. If you’re satisfied with your current accounting software, we don’t recommend going through the trouble of switching.
What else impacts bookkeeping prices?
Aside from pricing model and type of bookkeeping service, here are the main factors that affect small-business bookkeeping prices.
Scope of work
The range of bookkeeping tasks you need completed (and how often) impacts what you’ll pay. Basic bookkeeping tasks include categorizing transactions, reconciling accounts and running reports at the end of each month.
Bookkeepers may also take on additional back-office tasks. These include running payroll, preparing your business to file taxes and handling invoices and bills. Some online bookkeeping services, like Bookkeeper360, consider these add-on services.
Bookkeeper experience
Like any profession, bookkeepers often charge more as they gain experience or certifications. Newer bookkeepers who have only worked with a handful of businesses will likely charge less. But that doesn’t mean they won’t do a good job.
When you chat with bookkeepers, try to get a feel for their business acumen. Can they provide at least a handful of recommendations from previous clients? At a minimum, they should also have a certification from a respected institution. Examples include the National Association of Certified Bookkeepers or the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers.
Business’s complexity
As businesses grow, their bookkeeping needs will likely become more complex. Naturally, this will require more work.
For example, a mature business with investors might need to prepare quarterly earnings reports on top of completing basic bookkeeping tasks. Additionally, larger small businesses will probably have more transactions to categorize and more accounts to reconcile.
Should you hire a bookkeeper?
It’s probably time to bring a bookkeeper or bookkeeping service on board if any of the following scenarios apply:
You’re consistently falling behind on bookkeeping
It’s normal to fall behind on bookkeeping in the first few months after your business opens. But after that initial rush, you should settle into a consistent bookkeeping routine. If that doesn’t happen and you find yourself falling months behind, you should consider hiring it out.
You’re noticing bookkeeping errors
Hiring a bookkeeper costs money, but bookkeeping errors can be expensive, too. This is especially true if they go unnoticed and your business gets audited. You should be able to rely on the accuracy of your reports and confidently compare income and expenses period over period. If that's not the case, you might weigh getting help.
You’re desperately strapped for time
In reality, you’d be hard pressed to come across a business owner who isn’t strapped for time. But if bookkeeping tasks are distracting you from running your business, outsourcing them is a smart move. Doing this can free up time for you to do other things. Examples include meeting with employees, focusing on production or negotiating lower prices for raw materials.
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*Reddit is an online forum where users share their thoughts on various topics, including bookkeeping costs. We used an AI tool to help identify and summarize comments about these expenses. We looked at threads in r/Bookkeeeping, r/SmallBusiness and r/TaxPros from Aug. 1, 2024, to July 28, 2025. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances.
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- 1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Accessed Mar 13, 2026.
- 2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Profiles. Accessed Mar 13, 2026.
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